There and Back Again Ch. 009

Embarrassed at my appalling lack of subtlety, afraid that Alistair would look up and see the -inappropriate, Sierra- I reached over and squeezed his hand, then stood up and walked away before he could respond.

Back at camp, I sat down beside Tomas, leaning against him for a brief moment, trying to recapture the feeling of safety I'd had the night before. He smiled at me, his eyes knowing, and I cursed my bad acting skills again.

After a few minutes Alistair came back into camp, and I avoided making eye contact. Everyone gathered in the usual circle around the fire, including Morrigan, to discuss plans briefly before the three went into town. We discussed what supplies they should try to buy, everyone adding ideas, including more backpacks, more water skins, poultices, tents, blankets or bedrolls, and commoner clothes for me. Leliana and I compared sizes, briefly, and she thought she'd be able to help pick out some clothes that at least would be close to fitting.

"There's someone in town that you need to talk to, also. He needs to come with us. It's going to take a bit of work to get it figured out, but I'm hoping we can impose on Leliana to intercede on our behalf with the Revered Mother."

The bard looked at me, puzzled, but I watched as she figured it out. She tried to hide a somewhat pleased half-smile. "You mean to recruit the Qunari." I nodded.

"Aedan and Alistair should speak with him first, I think, but unless they have some major objection, then yes."

"Are you quite certain he can be trusted?" I knew what she was asking me. Did I really want a murderer joining our party?

"I am. He's a strange one, I'll give you that, but if they can secure his word, he will never break it."

Tomas watched the exchange, confusion building. I debated, but decided hiding the truth would cost me some of my hard-earned trust. I'd just have to hope they saw the reasoning behind it.

"There's a Qunari in a cage outside Lothering. He murdered a family in a fit of, well, temporary insanity. There was a reason for it, but not one that makes sense to anyone but a Qunari. He was so ashamed that he allowed himself to be captured and caged. He could escape, if he tried, but he won't, because he thinks that a gruesome death at the hands of the darkspawn will be his atonement. If offered a chance for redemption, and if he gives his word to help defend against the Blight, he'll be very handy to have around." I saw a couple of people mouth the word 'handy', and blushed. "He's a pretty amazing warrior. He isn't a danger to any of us, and while I don't think any of us will consider him a friend, he will be helpful. If Leliana can convince the Revered Mother to let him out, that is."

"I can. I will. I think that's an admirable idea. Everyone deserves a second chance."

"How do we know he won't murder us in our sleep?" I turned to Alistair.

"I'd say 'trust me', but that feels a little disingenuous right now. That's why I want you and Aedan to talk to him first. If you're not convinced, don't let him out. But let me just add this - he's been in that cage for three weeks without food or water. He's still alive. And he could have left at any time if he decided to. But the decision is up to you guys."

Leliana took the lead walking to Lothering, with Prince trotting at her side. Aedan and Alistair were following along behind.Probably staring at Leliana's ass.I saw Theron and Tomas both shooting longing glances at them, and thought perhaps I'd accidentally voiced my thought out loud. I realised, though, that they were both probably just sick of being stuck in camp.Boohoo.I sighed and scratched my head, pulling my hair out of the complicated 'do it had been in since pretending to be a noblewoman yesterday. I felt sweaty and sticky, and my hair was hanging together in clumps. I had an idea.

"Hey, Morrigan?" The witch still sat by the fire, everyone having ignored her. Again. She looked up, her expression hard to read. "I'm desperate to wash up. I am going to go down to the stream. Care to accompany me? We can talk on the way." She looked skeptical, so I added bait. "I've got soap." Her eyes lit up, and she practically sprang up to grab her pack and follow me.

I turned to Theron and Tomas, who were watching the witch with wary expressions. "Now, you two be good boys and stay here, yes? I'd hate for you to be accidentally turned into a toad for spying on us, brother." I ruffled Theron's hair, and he squawked indignantly. Morrigan laughed and followed me into the woods.

By unspoken agreement, we found the stream and washed up first. The water was cold, but I didn't care. I stripped and laid down in the middle of the stream. Morrigan stared at me, averting her eyes when she saw me noticing. She crouched by the side of the stream and surreptitiously washed without baring anything.Seriously? We're both girls. Whatever. I'm not lessening my enjoyment of this because of modesty.I soaped myself off, sitting up to scrub my hair with the bar. I knew it would make it impossibly tangled, but I didn't care. I'd take clean and messy over dirty any day.

Finally satisfied, I stood, shivering, and it occurred to me I didn't have a towel. I briefly wondered if there was a way to bring my huge terrycloth bath set from home next time I went back. I shook off, sort of like Prince, and pulled my clean, now dry panties from my pack, slipping into them and then my clothes while still damp. I grumbled, determined to at least bring a spare bra and an extra t-shirt next time. I washed the dirty panties, tucking them away, and finally felt human again, if cold. I put my jacket back on, wishing I'd thought to bring my cloak. I huddled into a ball and pulled out my comb, starting to work out the tangles while I watched Morrigan bend over and somehow wash her own hair without getting her clothes wet. She finished without tangles in her own long black hair.Bitch.

Seeing me huddling, still shivering, she rolled her eyes. "'Tis a good thing you aren't from here. I can only assume you would not have survived long in this world." She turned, spying a nearby boulder, and muttered something under her breath, finally waving her hand in its general direction. A streak of fire flashed from her fingers, splattering against the rock. "There. I suppose the others would be much more difficult to manage if I let you freeze to death."

I smiled brilliantly at her and scrambled to my feet, approaching the boulder. The heat rolled off it in waves, and I held my hands out, luxuriating in feeling warm. I cleared a small space, close enough to be warm but far enough not to get burnt. Morrigan and I both sank down onto the ground, backs to the radiant stone, letting our damp hair dry.

I broke the silence first. "So. We should talk."

"We should." I sat, still pulling snarls out of my hair, waiting for her to begin testing me.

"Are you going to ask me questions, then?"

"Indeed not!"

"Uh...why not?"

"A skilled charlatan can determine the answers based on the questions asked. For it to be a true test, you must also provide the questions."

"Uh, okay. Um, well, let me see. You were raised in the Wilds by Flemeth, who is your mother. Or at least, she raised you; I'm not sure if she's blood related. She is a powerful sorceress, a shapechanger who can take on the form of a dragon. She is an abomination, having made a deal with a demon to keep her alive, or so the story goes. She liked to use you as bait for templars who got too close when you were a child. You learned shapechanging from her, and as I recall, can assume the form of a giant spider, or I think a bear...and apparently a bird, from what I saw earlier.

"You once stole a mirror from a noblewoman you encountered in the Wilds. When Flemeth discovered it, she smashed it to pieces. You'd give almost anything to get your hands on Flemeth's grimoire. And the reason Flemeth sent you with the Grey Wardens, the reason I think she even saved them, was so that you could perform a blood magic ritual with one of them, before the final battle, impregnating you. It would cause the Archdemon's essence to be drawn into the body of your unborn child, to be reborn as an untainted Old God, coincidentally saving the life of the Grey Warden who strikes the killing blow.

"You hate Circle mages, believing that they have enslaved themselves willingly, and have nothing but contempt for the Chantry. You like pretty jewelry, though you will never admit it. You act like you hate Alistair and think he's stupid, but I don't actually think that's true. I think you just enjoy baiting him."

"I do enjoy baiting him, 'tis true, but his lack of intelligence isn't in question, as far as I can tell." I rolled my eyes, and Morrigan actually appeared to smile.

"So. How did I do? Am I a charlatan? A Fade spirit? Just plain crazy? What do you think?"

"You definitely know things that you should have no way of knowing, so while I cannot fathom how you could possibly be what you claim, I cannot offer another explanation."

"I'm going to take that as acceptance, I think."

"For now." Morrigan paused. "So...may I ask what you plan to do with your information?"

"You're wondering if I will prevent you from performing the ritual with Aedan or Alistair?"

"I am."

"I won't. I don't think it's my decision to make, anyway. However, with, uh, Tomas around, I think you will have a much harder time getting agreement."

"Foolish. Why would he not accept such a small sacrifice to preserve his own life?"

Aha. She doesn't know everything about Wardens. Interesting."All I will say is that sometimes, there are worse things than death, for a Grey Warden." Morrigan scoffed, but seemed to realise she would get no more out of me on the subject.

Once both of us had dry hair, we returned to camp. Well, I did. Morrigan came partway, and then hesitated.

"You're going to change shape and spend the rest of the day watching us in animal form, aren't you?"

"I...prefer that, yes."

"Just...know that you are welcome, if you decide to join us."

Morrigan stared at me, an unfathomable expression on her face. "I will keep that in mind."

Leaving her to her privacy, I went back to camp alone.